How Fireworks Work

One world, so many cultures, but the traditional way to celebrate happiness is common in many countries. Fireworks is one of the ways and any celebration is incomplete without them!

British people celebrate the victory of their favorite football team with fireworks. Americans celebrate Independence Day on 4 July with fireworks. In most cultures, bursting fireworks overhead symbolizes awe, wonder and joy. There are also smaller fireworks like those celebrated with at home, including firecrackers, sparklers and bottle rockets.

What makes fireworks work? How do they explode and create just the right color or pattern? Depending upon the firework in question, they may use a fuel, oxidizer, black powder, steel or iron powder and a binder to hold it all together. Once these flammable materials are ignited, the fun begins!

What are different types of fireworks?

There are three types of fireworks – fire crackers, sparklers and aerial fireworks.

Firecrackers and Sparklers:

Firecrackers consist of gunpowder and a fuse wrapped tightly in a paper tube. The fuel used in firecrackers is usually charcoal. The binder is sugar or starch. The fuel and binder are mixed with water and poured into a form or a wire is dipped into it. When it dries, it is ready to light.

Aerial fireworks:

Aerial fireworks are also known as shells. A shell has four parts: the container, a fuse, a bursting charge and stars. The container is simple paper and string cylinder. The fuse is what gives the shell time to propel into the sky before exploding. The bursting charge is like a firecracker inside the shell. It makes the fireworks explode. When the shell explodes, stars create the beauty of aerial fireworks.

Stars:

Stars are like sparklers inside the shell. Being formed compounds, they include things like antimony to create a glittery effect or calcium to deepen the color of the sparks. They can also include aluminum, magnesium, iron, zinc, or steel to make sparks. Those flakes of metal heat sometimes even burn. The pattern in which stars are organized determines the shapes that you would see in the sky when a shell explodes.

Precautions while using fireworks:

Some of the basic precautions to ensure safety from fireworks include using fireworks in open areas, keeping them away from the body and avoid wearing loose clothes while using them. Presence of an adult is a must while playing with fireworks. Never hold a firework in your hand and never try to relight a dud firework.

Don’t forget to keep a bucket filled with water while playing with firecrackers.

Always make sure that you are buying legal fireworks and not the illegal ones. Legal fireworks have a label with the manufacturer‘s name and directions. Illegal fireworks go by the names similar to M-80 or M-100.

With these precautions, we wish that you have a safe celebration on 4 July!